Prosecutors: Marshals find gun in woman's bag at courthouse

A south suburban woman faces a misdemeanor charge after a gun was found in her bag as she tried to enter the federal courthouse downtown, prosecutors said.

Debra Reed, 57, of Country Club Hills, was charged with trying to bring a firearm into a federal facility after deputy U.S. Marshals found a gun in her bag as she went through security this morning at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn St., said U.S. attorney’s spokesman Randall Samborn.

Reed was in the courthouse for a legitimate reason and is not suspected of bringing the gun to the building with the intention of harming anyone, a source said.

Reed faces a maximum of 30 days in jail and a $5,000 fine. She is due back in court June 10.

The Marshals' service also referred Reed’s arrest to local authorities, Samborn said.